Community Radio and Social Activism in Chile 1990–2007: Challenges for Grass Roots Voices During the Transition to Democracy

Community radio in India operates within a clear framework of development. This calls into question the fundamental purpose of community radio: communication rights, activism, voice, community participation or development? Drawing on ethnographic research conducted at two rural stations in South India, this research explores the influence of a pervasive development discourse on the grassroots activities and functions of community radio. The starkest example of this was observed through the far-reaching influence of the Government of India’s highly publicised sanitation programme, the Swachh Bharat Mission. This programme represents a pervasive example of the modernisation paradigm in development communication, yet it was found to proliferate throughout community radio, a medium more often associated with participatory communication. This development discourse was found to profoundly impact the way both broadcasters and audience members engage with and experience community radio. The findings highlight a disconnect between the theoretical and ideological frameworks of community radio and the ways in which a development discourse operates through the stations at the grassroots level. As such, this article argues that community radio in India represents a liminal space where multiple development communication paradigms interact and compete with the theoretical underpinnings of the movement.

Introduction Australia's rich multicultural fabric is woven with the threads of diverse ethnic communities, each bringing unique cultures, languages, and traditions to the tapestry of the nation. Central to the experiences of immigrants and refugees in Australia is ethnic broadcasting, which serves as a bridge between their past and present, homeland and host country. This article delves into the multifaceted landscape of ethnic broadcasting, exploring its historical significance, current challenges, and potential pathways for future development. Historical Significance of Ethnic Broadcasting Immigrants and refugees continue to seek avenues to maintain ties with their home countries, preserve cherished memories of their origins, and find support as they adapt to life in a new environment. This need is especially pronounced for individuals who are not proficient in the primary language(s) of their host nation. Governments in countries attracting migrants recognise the importance of engaging with migrant communities to enhance their integration and bolster their contributions to national productivity. For example, the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, M.J.R. Mackellar, noted when establishing ethnic radio in Australia that due to "a steady decline in foreign-language content on established commercial and national radio channels", and "a large increase in the non-English-speaking population in Australia", "the government ha[d] pushed ahead with ethnic radio" to provide "information, entertainment, and educational" facilities (Mackellar). Presently, the Australian Government provides annual funding to support ethnic broadcasting, which includes covering the production costs of ethnic programs for local communities, establishing new programs for specific language groups, and developing innovative projects that benefit culturally and linguistically diverse communities (Courtney). Insufficient attention has been devoted to evaluating the evolving needs and interests of various migrant communities over time (Dissanayake 113). This decline can be attributed to the satisfaction of listeners' interests through advancements in information technology and their increasing proficiency in English (Australian Bureau of Statistics), enabling them to access information from mainstream media sources. In the year 2020, there arose a pressing need to reevaluate the purposes and role of ethnic broadcasting, considering both practical and theoretical perspectives such as listeners' access to new technology to consume information, attracting volunteers, and limited financial support (Anderson et al. 57). Also, insights gained from such assessments could significantly contribute to meeting listeners' expectations, informing policy decisions in this domain, and guiding the work of content creators (Ewart 133) and also the channels in between these two ends of the spectrum, such as station managers. It is imperative to acknowledge that the role of ethnic broadcasting has evolved with broadcasting and production technology, necessitating a nuanced approach in research and creative endeavours within this sector. Furthermore, the shifting digital landscape and the widespread use of social media as a customisable platform for communication underscore the need for adaptation and innovation in ethnic broadcasting practices (Budarick). Despite its importance, ethnic community radio remains relatively understudied by researchers and academics, highlighting a gap in understanding the current dynamics of the ethnic broadcasting industry (Ewart 123). Current Challenges Facing Ethnic Broadcasting In this study, I aim to incorporate my perspective as an ethnic broadcaster to address the needs of migrants presently living in Australia. While government funding has been allocated to meet operational costs and support content development, there remains a gap in addressing the specific needs of listeners and enhancing the skills of ethnic radio presenters. Presenters of ethnic radio programs in Australia often struggle to discern the language preferences and information requirements of their audience. This challenge stems from a lack of regular communication with listeners, leaving broadcasters unaware of the issues that hold significance within their communities. To address this gap, it is essential to develop radio programs that cater to the interests and information needs of ethnic populations. These programs should cover a range of topics, including immigration matters, cultural events, council decisions, and the promotion of talents within these communities. Unlike mainstream commercial media, ethnic radio programs have the unique opportunity to focus on issues that are often overlooked but are highly relevant to ethnic audiences. Furthermore, there is a need to engage the second generation of migrants by encouraging their participation in radio programs conducted in languages they are comfortable with. This initiative not only fosters inclusivity but also ensures the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage to younger generations. Additionally, adapting program formats to align with the evolving needs and expectations of ethnic audiences is crucial for maintaining relevance and engagement. As highlighted by Tanikella, radio producers play a pivotal role in translating the needs of listeners into program formats that resonate with diasporic communities (170). By responding to the demands of their audience and reflecting locally constructed identities, media producers contribute to the representation of community identities in the public sphere. This underscores the importance of designing radio programs that are sensitive to the diverse needs and preferences of ethnic communities, thereby fostering a sense of belonging and cultural continuity. It is crucial for migrants to have access to information about available facilities, their rights, and opportunities for settling in their new country. Research into ethnic media in Australia highlights its significant role in connecting migrants to transnational networks, preserving cultures and languages, navigating new identities and communities, and facilitating adjustment to life in Australia (Hopkins, qtd. in Budarick). The growth of ethnic radio programs in Australia has been notable since its inception in 1975. Presently, the Australian community radio sector produces a substantial amount of ethnic radio content, with over 2,070 hours broadcast weekly in more than 110 languages across 80 radio stations, including six full-time ethnic stations. This vast array of programming engages over 4,000 volunteers from 125 cultural and ethnic groups (NEMBC). However, to ensure the effective support of ethnic minorities in Australia through broadcast radio, financial backing is essential. Community radio stations rely heavily on volunteers, with over 22,000 individuals contributing their time to these stations across Australia. Despite the significant volunteer effort, paid full-time equivalent staff employed by community radio stations numbered 900 in 2023 (Treasury). In recognition of the importance of ethnic media in supporting minority communities, the Australian Federal Government, through the Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF), allocated $4.18 million from Federal Budget 2022-23 for ethnic content development purposes (CBAA, "Federal Budget 2022-23"). Additionally, various state governments continue to provide funding for ethnic radio programs through relevant agencies (Letch 18). Despite government support at both federal and state levels, the number of ethnic radio programs remain the same serving the relevant ethnic groups. However, this article suggests the need for restructuring within the ethnic broadcasting sector, particularly in content development, to better meet the diverse needs of ethnic audiences. Ethnic Radio Programs Characteristics of ethnic radio programs are multifaceted and influenced by the unique nature of the medium as well as the diverse preferences and behaviours of their listeners. Firstly, radio as a medium engages the sense of hearing, prompting listeners to visualise and imagine based on auditory stimuli. This concept, as articulated by Smythe (qtd. in Beck), underscores the importance of creating vivid "audio pictures" for listeners, especially in ethnic radio where individuals often seek to evoke nostalgic memories of their homeland. Ethnic radio programs serve as a conduit for migrants to reconnect with their cultural roots, offering aural representations of familiar sounds and languages in the absence of electronic communication resources. Additionally, Gary Ferrington distinguishes between hearing and listening, highlighting that while hearing is a physiological process, listening involves the psychological attribution of meaning to auditory input (61-7). This differentiation is pertinent in understanding how radio audiences interact with and interpret program content. Audience engagement with ethnic radio programs can be categorised into active and passive listenership. Active listeners demonstrate a high level of involvement with specific programs, frequently engaging through calls, messages, and interactions with presenters. In contrast, passive listeners tune in intermittently and may not exhibit loyalty to any station or program (Padmakumar 614). Ethnic program listeners tend to lean towards active engagement due to the limited frequency of broadcasts and their desire to stay connected with their cultural community. They often approach radio listening with echoic memories of music and language from their homeland, seeking familiarity and emotional resonance in the programming. For instance, some listeners may prefer original versions of songs from their country, even if they are no longer popular locally (Anderson et al. 21). Moreover, active ethnic radio listeners play an integral role in shaping program content and community engageme

This study takes initial look at the promise of community radio as a public sphere. Given the interest that community radio has generated in the communication for development (C4d) arena, particularly its portrayal as a tool for democracy and good governance, the study attempts to ascertain whether the model through its flagship genre – political talk-back program can enact political participation or engender political efficacy within the African context. Data for the study came from a field research conducted in the United Republic of Tanzania. The study combines a survey with focus group and in-depth interviews. Relationships between engagement with community radio, political participation and interest, and political efficacy were examined, as well as its association with individual’s level of interpersonal discussion of local issues. A key finding shows that involvement with political talk programs on community radio can promote political participation and interest. Similarly, the result reveals an association between participation on talk program and political efficacy. These results are encouraging in that they point to community radio as serving useful democratic purpose in empowering citizens by giving voice to those considered “marginalized”, and at the same time fulfilling a major role of providing valued information at the local levels. As the foundation of public sphere, the stations seem to encourage active citizen participation and a healthy diversity of opinion. Certainly, this form of communication is needed for the occurrence of sustainable democratic development.Keywords: community radio, public sphere, political efficacy, political awareness, Tanzania

Nowadays the problematic of representation of minorities or immigrant communities in media, and the problematic of expression of their common interests bymeans of media constitute a major discussion, which is held especially to emerge the opportunity of a more democratic media environment and to criticize traditional communication systems. At this point, we can say that community radios can be considered as one of the opportunities, which will help to realize this kind of communication. On the basis of the fact that the community radios have a common goal of representation, participation and mobilizing of different social actors and groups in a centralized communication space, they can also have the role of being the voice of people and groups in disadvantaged positions in society such as ethnic minorities or immigrants. For this reason, analyzing the community radio as having the potential to represent the common interests of Turkish immigrant community also gives us the opportunity to discuss the ways that Turkish immigrants use this possibility. Thus, as having the main goal of this paper is as the evaluation of the community radio system in Netherlands in order to discuss Turkish immigrants' response to this system in terms of their capacity to create a significant community and their own community radio(s) and in order to see Turkish local radios can work as medium of community communication or ethnic market; we achieved the conclusion that none of this process is truly constituted. Although there are some regulations, which make possible community communication in radio broadcasting system of Netherlands formed by its immigration and multiculturalism politics, because of some obstacles created by structural characteristics of Turkish ethnic community and by official immigration politics of Netherlands, the Turks do not have the demand of making a radio broadcasting in terms of community radio.

Community radio networking (Jarik) III Cirebon is the affiliation of community radio in Cirebon, Kuningan, Majalengka and Indramayu regencies. Jarik III consists of 11 community radios. Besides broadcasting, Jarik is active in social action. They have been defending people especially in human trafficking and domestic violence cases. Based on voluntarism perspective, this article elaborates how those radios mitigate the society’s issue. This article was based on research through qualitative method using case study. The data was obtained through interview, observation, and documentation with three community radio FM administrators, namely Baina FM, Bhuana FM, and Caraka FM. The finding of the study shows that the background of the establishment, purpose and community radio operations are based on socio-demographic condition of their own community; society-based service becomes an administrator community radio’s spirit; and voluntarism underlying administrator performance of community radio helps overcoming people’s problem.

Throughout history, a small number of athletes have used their sporting status to engage in social and political activism. Although this was often carried out by black male athletes, women have also contributed to political and social activism. In the twenty-first century, this activism has been aided by the introduction of social media, which provides athletes with a personal platform to communicate with the public. This chapter explores how social media platforms are used for political and social activism through the case study of American soccer player Megan Rapinoe. The chapter discusses the paradoxes and privileges associated with her identity as a successful white woman actively engaging with social media. It outlines the success of Rapinoe's activism in propagating messages into public discourses, aided through coverage from the mainstream media. Conversely, while much of Rapinoe's activism has been welcomed and encouraged, a contingent of responses found on her social media platforms contains a backlash, including personal attacks targeted at her identity as an openly lesbian woman. The chapter concludes by acknowledging how high-profile athletes like Rapinoe are using social media as a space for political and social activism and, thus, help contribute towards rendering some form of progressive change in society.

The emergence of the Covid 19 pandemic not only posed a threat to global health systems but also posed a significant threat to the global information system particularly through the rise of the infodemic; the rapid spread of misinformation; catapulted through the use of social media. With the instantaneous nature of social media coupled with the unregulated and free orientation, traditional media such as radio faced a significant challenge keeping up with rapid misinformation spread particularly in countering misinformation on the Covid-19 pandemic. This study examined the challenges faced by community radios in countering misinformation on the Covid-19 pandemic. Anchored on the agenda setting theory, the research evaluates whether legacy media such as radio maintains a strong position in setting the agenda for media conversations or whether this role has been usurped by new media such as social media. A case study design was employed incorporating 396 respondents including radio listeners, journalists and health specialists. A mixed method sampling combining quota sampling and purposive sampling was used with questionnaires and interviews being used as the research instruments. From the findings, it was established that community radio was faced with challenges both in the information flow and radio operations tied to the orientation of community radios. Rumors and conspiracy theories posed the biggest challenge in the information flow while limited resources was identified as the biggest operational challenge. Internet sources and social media were identified as the biggest contributors to misinformation alongside other sources such as word of mouth. Sources such as print media and community radio were only identified by a minority of the respondents as contributors to misinformation. This was also observed in were challenges relating to language and cultural barriers, engagement and comprehension, balancing of opposing viewpoints.

The article argues that community development work, in the form of feminist pedagogy and community radio, can engage more women in technological roles, aid women’s confidence and mental health and possibly, improve diversity in mainstream media. In UK media, corporations are heavily criticized for their under and misrepresentation of women and, in general, their inability to engage with excluded groups. The BBC’s strategic aim is to improve inclusion and diversity by 2020. The article asserts the value of community development methods in efforts to address this. It explores concepts of voice poverty and empowerment through analysis of the narratives of twelve female community radio volunteers in Northern England. Using Freire’s (1972) notion of ‘culture of silence’ and against the backdrop of gender inequality, the article clarifies the nature of community radio and employs a variety of literatures to understand how a feminist pedagogy (hooks, 1994) and an intersectional approach (Crenshaw, 1989) might be useful in media. It builds from Stuart Hall’s contention that media and cultural spaces can be powerful sites of social action. Analysis of participant accounts indicates that community radio is a site of diverse identities, laughter, dialogue, raised consciousness, and conflict. This confronts not only the orthodoxy of young white, male-dominated media but also challenges romantic notions of community harmony and happiness by recognizing inherent tensions within prevailing conceptions of womanhood and within and between communities. The article foregrounds evidence from the majority world, where community radio is well documented as giving voice to invisiblized women, and concludes with an argument for further exploration of this highly symbolic dimension of empowerment, whereby women overcome technological fears and break their silence by broadcasting diverse voices. The project challenges UK commercial and public broadcasters to learn from the global south that community radio is an effective method of development with potential to enrich the mainstream media world.

Community radio in our country is a boon to many of the communities it enables many of the vulnerable people in these communities to participate in the decision making activities which can bring in a constructive change in the matters of the community .This very dynamic medium has been extensively used in many of the remote places of the country by various communities to educate, influence and evolve themselves to form a better tomorrow . This voluntarily medium, has been attracting the members of the remote areas in a big way. In a developing country like ours, where rural populace stills lacks basic education, awareness and involvement, this Community radio has given a fresh lease of life to many to sustain themselves in all spheres of their lives. It has helped the civil societies to move towards self sufficiency and also retaining the best in the communities through the array of programs which are conceptualised and presented by the community members only. It has really played a pivotal role at the grass root level which is emulated in other countries too. Community radio, has become a crusader in the lives of many across the country, this medium which has been supported by the community it serves , has emerged in a big way in developing countries. Other Voices (Kanchan Malik and Vindod Pawarala, 2007) has assessed the role of this alternative media as on eof the best tool for the communities and the underprivileged at the grassroots level . It has become a window for the remotest communities to integrate themselves into global economies and also develop as knowledge based economies. It has been playing a great role as a force multiplier in effective delivery of programs needed for the community on all development sectors. Each and every station has a great role in conceptualizing and executing these programs which has to come from the community members only. The indulgence of the members and to sustain themselves in running the station is a uphill task. Trainings imparted by the government and funding agencies at the various level has been instrumental in its popularity. The community radio stations in the country has been facing a lot of difficulties in sustaining themselves once they are established. The support and the encouragement of this station keep losing the fizz after few years of their inception. Many reasons has been identified such as lack of technical inputs, lack of creativity, financial crisis , lack of encouragement from the community, diminishing participation of members and so on . But, still, there are many CR stations which have proved and stood all the odds by proving their capacity to perform and bring in the change . Such CR stations are those which are under the leadership of women , who have given their best to sustain in the race by facing all the problems and overcoming it. The present paper, tries to focuses on the participation of women, with such positive outlook, who have driven the medium to a next level , in the development of community radio stations. The study has been done in the state of Karnataka, which has 13 CR stations. A multiple sampling technique has been used to select the best 4 community radio stations for the study. Keeping in view the gender perspective, the study highlights and dwell upon the role of women, in particular in the development of these community radio stations. The key roles played by the women as station managers, the content developers, the presenters and as listeners has been investigated through a systematic Focus group discussion , which has helped to elicit the information by these duty bearers . The role play of these women in the community radio has been very promising, and not only they contribute but also strive hard for the development of CR stations in the areas of their operations. The women members have been doing various experiments in the content and output which has not only yielded positive side of the medium, but also has empowered these women employees to do more though this medium. The result has been positive and thus many of them feel that the CR has become a integral part of their life and can has been instrumental in making their life more empowered. The study establishes that these community radio has worked in favour of these women to improve knowledge of solutions, in areas like health and hygiene, culture retention, rural development, participation in democratic process, education to local governance, employment opportunities and awareness related to social taboos.

Access to the radio spectrum most often has become tightly controlled by nation-states and military bodies around the world, available to citizens only under stringent licensing and leasing frameworks. This article examines one aspect of the growing global community radio movement which makes an alternative ownership claim on this resource. Taking place at a small-scale grass-roots level, this movement is nevertheless worthy of attention from media scholars. By considering the example of community radio development in Thailand, we can see this movement represents a new communications paradigm in formation, one that fundamentally alters the manner in which the broadcast frequency spectrum is monopolized by state and commercial interests and, consequently, the manner in which people will allow themselves to be governed, as radio becomes a vehicle for marginalized communities to stake a claim in territory heretofore unquestionably ruled by the centre.

The #FridaysForFuture climate protests mobilized more than 1.6 million people around the globe in March 2019. Through a school strike, a new generation has been galvanized, representing a historical turn in climate activism. This wave of climate protest mobilization is unique in its tactics, global scope and appeal to teenage school students. Media coverage of these protests and high-level national and international political meetings involving the movement’s icon, Greta Thunberg, illustrate a level of global attention that no previous youth movement has ever received. A team of social scientists from universities across Europe organized a survey of the global FFF strike events on March 15. The team surveyed protesters in 13 cities in nine European countries using the same research design to collect data, following the well-established protest survey methodology used previously in the “Caught in the Act of Protest: Contextualizing Contestation” (CCC) project. Demographically, the 14-19 age group is significantly over-represented among our respondents. More surprising is the predominance of female participants, particularly among teenagers. We believe that the movement’s female leaders may have a strong mobilizing effect on (particularly young) women. Education remains a strong predictor of participation. The movement’s ability to create engaged young citizens through their climate activism is also highly significant, with average figures for first-time participants (among school students) on March 15 at around 38% across all countries. Despite the adults participating in solidarity with school students, our survey data shows that the involvement of peers seems to matter more for school students. 45% of all school students agreed with the statement that Greta Thunberg had been a factor in their decision to join the Climate Strike. Compared with the adults in our survey, school students are seldom engaged as financial contributors or active members of environmental NGOs. Activists showed strong identification with both instrumental and expressive motivations. To a higher degree than adults, young respondents stated a wish to defend their interests, although they did not take success in this aim for granted. We can observe that participants feel distrustful about their current national governments’ capacity to deal with global warming, but they still push these governments for climate policies. In almost every country, student and adult participants are extremely sceptical about relying on companies and the market to solve environmental problems. There are significant differences between countries, and between adults and school students, over stopping climate change through individual lifestyle changes, highlighting that the movement may actually be quite heterogeneous in some regards. The significant presence of young first-timers in the strike signals the emergence of a new generation of climate activists and the possible development of FFF as a broader, grassroots movement, with a strong female presence and reliance on social media and peer networks. It highlights limited commitment to established environmental organisations, with varying interpretations of the importance of lifestyle politics and a hopeful attitude towards the future. Further research will be needed to follow the development of the first mass youth mobilization on climate change. During the second global school strike on May 24, 2019, new surveys were organized in Stockholm and Budapest.

The purpose of this study is to determine to what extent the growth of community radios have changed the lives of ordinary people in Kenya and globally; in particular the illiterate, the urban and rural poor as well as other marginalized groups. The Kenyan Demographic and Health Survey of 2003 estimated that 60% of men and 71% of women in Kenya have only gone up to the primary school level of education (Government of Kenya, 2003). Robb asserted in his study that, “I choose to focus on radio because as a technology, it is perhaps the most suitable for community media. Unlike television, it does not require extensive broadcast facilities. Nor does it necessitate the cadre of equipment or the level of capital investment that television requires. Unlike print media, community radio does not require literacy for consumption. Lastly, 99% of American homes have at least one radio, a greater percentage than read daily newspapers (55%) have personal computers (51%) or subscribe to cable television (68%) (Media Management Center, 2007). Radio remains an accessible and inexpensive form of community media”. The historical philosophy of community radios is to use this medium as the voice of the voiceless and the mouthpiece of the oppressed people, or by communities that have not been served by conventional communication structures. It should promote development at the grassroots and bring about positive change in a community's living conditions and environment through dissemination of information and promotion of community dialogue through radio debates and dialogue via phone call ins, SMS and even through social media. The thesis of this paper is that community radios are playing significant roles in livelihood improvement especially for people with no other access to mainstream media.

In late 1999, researchers from Griffith University in Australia embarked on a two-year research project of the Australian community radio sector. That project, which is nearing completion, investigated the role of community radio; the profile of community radio personnel; the training contribution of the sector; use of new technologies, and the cultural contribution of the sector, among other things. In general, it was designed to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the Australian community radio industry as it stands today. During the project, some interesting data emerged which reveals much about the Australian sector. The data shows that, contrary to popular perceptions, the Australian community radio sector is relatively conservative in its outlook, possibly caused by a significant shift to the ‘right’ in the past 10 years which seem to have coincided with its move into regional areas, and its increasing commitment to commercial goals. Community radio is no longer the site of radical or grassroots political action that it was once perceived to be, although it is still strongly anchored in its ‘communities of interest’.

Community radio is unique when compared to its commercial and public service counterparts in that, as a non-profit activity, it is owned, managed and controlled by local communities, In theory therefore, community radio offers the potential for more broad-based participation in deliberation and debate within the public sphere engaging multiple voices and perspectives and contributing towards progressive social change. Drawing on a study of four community radio stations in Ireland within a framework drawn from the evolving work of Habermas and associated deliberative, social and media theorists, in this article we examine the extent to which this is the case in practice. We find that democratic participation is still not optimised within the four stations studied. We argue that the reasons for this lie in four main areas: a somewhat limited policy framework; a focus within training programmes on technical competencies over content; the weakness of linkages between stations and their local community groups; and the failure of the latter to understand the unique remit of community radio. The article draws lessons of specific interest to researchers and activists in these domains, as well as offering a framework to those interested in examining community media’s contribution to the re-animation of the public sphere more broadly.

This study presents what can be described as a how-to-text on how community radio (CR) can be creatively used to address low civic involvement in policy-making in Ghana’s local governance units. The study employed a qualitative research approach. In-depth interviews were used to collect data from representatives of some key stakeholder institutions in Ghana’s local governance system, CR as well as from a community media expert. The study found that CR in Ghana can serve as effective tools for mobilising people to participate in policy-making in local governance through creative programming. Another finding is that the ability of villagers to contribute to radio content, and to participate in policy-related debates via phone-ins, could be limited by their inability to buy telephone credit due to their poverty status. The study unearthed weak linguistic proficiency on the part of the CR workers, which thwarts their ability to handle local government policies, which are technical in nature. The study concludes that the little evidence on innovative use of CR to promote citizens’ involvement in local governance policy-making processes is an issue, which needs to be addressed to unleash the potentials of CR in local governance. The study recommends that a potential instrument for easing the financial sustainability challenges of CR in Ghana is to ensure that the up-coming broadcasting law provides public funding for community media as pertains in Denmark, France and South Africa. The Ghana Community Radio Broadcast Network (GCRN) needs to institute indigenous languages training sessions in collaboration with local language experts to equip CR workers with language proficiency.